Signs you’re in a tango relationship #47: This conversation …
Steph: Your jacket has lipstick on it
Ben: Oh yes?
Steph: Yeah, you need to take it to the dry-cleaner …
Continue reading From a crazy number of lessons to a crazy number of milongas …
A giromaniac is born, and a whole new tango world opens up
I am officially now a giromaniac.
After a false start a couple of months ago, I’m finally able to fluidly lead giros and contra-giros in a milonga. I cannot tell you how happy that makes me feel! Partly just the relief of finally getting there after so long, but mostly because it completely transforms my dance and the crowded milonga experience …
Continue reading A giromaniac is born, and a whole new tango world opens up
Tango on the Thames tangasms, with giros and counter-giros – and accidental ganchos
As with Spitalfields, I’d first seen Tango on the Thames long before I danced; stood and watched for a while, and thought of it as one of those delightfully eccentric English things done by people who aren’t me.
It was an incredibly hot day, 32C ambient, and more in the sun. We estimated when the sun would have dropped beneath the building line and turned up at around 7.15pm, which was perfect timing …
Continue reading Tango on the Thames tangasms, with giros and counter-giros – and accidental ganchos
A rough-and-ready close-embrace giro (and a bonus clockwise one)
Today’s private with Fede and Julia was resuming work on the giro, and discovering that my difficulties with it are only partly technique-related; a significant part of my problem has been over-thinking it. (You’re amazed, right?)
We started, as ever, with a warm-up dance – and both said that fewer lessons and more dance is clearly paying off …
Continue reading A rough-and-ready close-embrace giro (and a bonus clockwise one)
Taking a chance at a new-to-me milonga: Sans Souci
The previous blog post was a long one; this is short, just a fun time at a new-to-me milonga.
Last time I danced at St Columba’s Church in Chelsea, it was in the huge basement room with hundreds of people at the Romantica Milonguera live performance. Tonight, it was the more modest (but lovely) ground floor room for Dante’s milonga, Sans Souci …
Continue reading Taking a chance at a new-to-me milonga: Sans Souci
A lesson too far, but one new turn and three old thoughts
My temporary tango routine continues with the Wednesday and Sunday Juan Martin and Steffie classes.
I thought this blog post would be short, as I was hardly able to do anything in last night’s intermediate class. But I turned out to be very, very wrong about that. So grab a cup of tea and make yourself comfortable …
Continue reading A lesson too far, but one new turn and three old thoughts
Rebounds, barridas, sacadas, planeos – and a very busy time at a milonga
I enjoyed my first taste of barridas, so was looking forward to another class on these with Juan Martin and Steffi. Steph and friends had, however, warned me that leaders often over-use them. A well-executed barrida once or twice in a tanda can feel lovely, I was told, but not more than that.
Like seasoning, then: just the right amount really adds to the dish, but too much can make it inedible …
Continue reading Rebounds, barridas, sacadas, planeos – and a very busy time at a milonga
